Fastening inserting machine



March 10, 1953 c, KNOWLTQN 2,630,565

FASTENING INSERTING MACHINE Filed July 10, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 In van far! Cutler 0. K120 wlzcm 5y '/7' March 10, 1953 c. D. KNOWLTON FASTENING INSERTING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 10, 1948 www March 10, 1953 c. D. KNOWLTON 2,630,565

FASTENING INSERTING MACHINE Filed July 10, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 In van for. Cuzler Z2 Ano wlzon March 10, 1953 c. D. KNOWLTON FASTENING INSERTING MACHINE Filed July '10, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 5 ms flimsy In van for Curler 0 K210 wlzon Patented Mar. 10, 1953 FASTENING INSERTING MACHINE Cutler D. Knowlton. Rockport, Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J a corporation of New Jersey Application July 10, 1948, Serial No. 38,009

24 Claims.

This invention relates to fastening inserting machines and is particularly concerned with improvements in fastening inserting machines of the type in which a strand of fastening material such as a metal wire is inserted into the work parts to be united whereupon a fastening is formed from the inserted leading end portion of the strand.

It is an object of the invention to provide machines of the above-mentioned type with automatically adjustable mechanism for accurately determining the length of fastening to be formed in accordance with the combined thickness of the work parts.

In accordance with a feature of the invention the length of the fastening to be formed and anchored in the work parts is determined by a wire feeding and inserting mechanism which intermittently advances the strand through the machine and inserts the leading end portion of the strand into the work parts presented to the machine. Even though the wire inserting strokes of the wire feeding mechanism are of constant length, the wire feeding mechanism is so constructed and arranged that after the insertion of the wire into the work the wire feeding mechanism is caused to slip upon the wire due to the resistance of the wire to further movement or insertion into the work parts. Thus the extent of wire fed always is proportionate to the combined thickness of the work parts so that fastenings of varying lengths may automatically be formed in accordance with thickness variations of the work parts.

More specifically, after the leading end portion of the inserted wire strand has penetrated through the work parts its leading end is preferably clenched back into the work, thus setting up considerable resistance to the continued feeding movement of the wire and, accordingly, causing the wire feeding mechanism to slip upon the Wire as that mechanism completes its wire feeding stroke. After the insertion of the leading end portion of the wire strand that portion is sheared off from the wire strand preferably some distance from the work surface and the sheared off or trailing end of the segment of the wire strand is simultaneously curled toward the work and then clenched over into the work piece to form a staple-like fastener.

These and other features of the invention will now be described in detail in connection with the accompanying drawings and will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a right-hand side elevation of a fastening inserting machine in which the invention is embodied;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of part of the machine illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of part of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2 with the machine parts assuming a position different from that shown in Fig. 2;

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are right-hand side elevations of the wire feeding mechanism, as well as wire severing and fastening clenching mechanism, with which the machine shown in Fig. 1 is equipped, the machine parts assuming different positions in these views;

Fig. '7 is a section of the wire feeding mechanism along the line VIIVII of Fig. 4; 4

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a part of the wire feeding mechanism;

Fig. 9 is a left-hand side elevation of the wire severing and fastening clenching mechanism;

Fig. 10 is a front elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a view of the completed fastening formed in the work;

Fig. 12 is an enlarged left-hand side elevation, of a part of the wire severing and fastening clenching mechanism, showing in detail an early phase of the manner in which the strand is severed, curled and clenched to form the fastening of Fig. 11; and

Figs. 13 and 14 are similar views which show still further phases of the manner in which the fastening is progressively formed.

The illustrated fastening inserting machine which, as stated above, is adapted to insert a wire strand into work parts to be united and then sever the inserted leading end portion from the strand and clench it over into the work is shown herein as a machine adapted to secure the overlasted marginal portion of a shoe upper 11 (Figs. 5, 6 and 11) to an insole b. As usual, the insole b is mounted on a last 0 and in this particular instance the last bottom is provided with a metal plate d which serves to clench and turn back into the insole the leading end of the wire strand after it has been inserted through the marginal portion of the upper a and through the insole b.

The machine comprises a main frame 20 to which is secured a shoe gage 22 (Figs. 1, 5 and 6). The shoe, comprising the upper a and the insole b mounted on the last 0, is presented to the machine by the operator, the gage 22 determining the operative position of the shoe in the machine. During the fastening inserting operation the shoe is supported [by the operator with the shoe in engagement wit the sees 22. The shoe gage 22 is horizontally adjustable on. a bracket 24 which in turn is mounted for vertical adjustment on a portion of the frame 2!].

A. drive shaft 26 (Fi l) is mounted in suitable bearings. 98 provided in the upner portion of the frame 2!] and carries at its left-hand end (as seen in Fig. 1) a cam disk 3%.

The mechanism for rotating the drive shaft 28, including the clutch mechanism for connecting or disconnecting the drive shaft 26 from its source of power. is substantially like the driving and clutch mechanism shown and described in United States Letters Patent 2,079.040. issued May 4, 1937, on an ap lication filed in the name of Charles A. Robinson. The main driving element is a pulley 32 (Fig. .1) which is continuously rotated by a driving belt from a suitable source of power and which is connectible or disconnectible from the drive shaft 2 by a Horton clutch (not shown). This clutch is provided with a disconnecting member as (Fig. 1'). vMounted on the shaft '26 are brake disks 35, 39, the disk 38 being fixed in the shaft and the disk as being movable with relation to the disk 38 either to apply braking pressure or to relieve such pressure. To this end there is provided a brake controlling member 4!] which is mounted for rocking movement about a fixed pivot pin 42 and which is constrained by a spring (not shown) to move in a clockwise direction (as viewed in Fig. 1) so as to locate a roll 44 carried by the brake applying member 40 in the path of rotary movement of a cam portion 46 secured to one side of the brake disk 38. It will be understood that as the cam portion 45 moves into contact with the roll 44, braking pressure is applied by the disk 36 to the disk 38 to stop the shaft 26 in a predetermined position.

Associated with the brake controlling mechanism is a clutch controlling mechanism and the two mechanisms are actuated by means or a treadle rod 48 pivotally secured to a treadle (not shown). The upper end of the treadle rod 48 is pivotally secured to one arm of a bell crank lever 50 secured to a rocking shaft rotatably mounted in the machine frame. Secured on the shaft '5! is also a clutch controlling arm 52 which cooperates with the clutch disconnecting member 34 in a manner to be described. The upwardly extending arm of the bell crank lever 50 is pivotally connected by means of a link 54 with a toggle 55. The toggle 56 is pivotally connected at its lower end to the frame 2!] and at its upper end to a rocking lever 58, The lever 58 is adapted to rotate about the pivot pin 42 and carries at its right-hand end (Fig. 1) a setscrew 60 which is adapted to engage a righthand extension of the brake controlling member 0. On depression of the treadle the bell crank lever 58 is rotated in a clockwise direction (as viewed in Fig. l) with the result that the arm 52 is moved out of contact with the clutch disconnecting member 34 to trip the Horton clutch and to connect the pulley 32 with the shaft 2:8. At the same time the toggle as is broken, the lever 58 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction (as viewed in Fig. 1) about the pivot pin 52, and as a result the setscrew 5i! imparts a counterclockwise rotation to the brake controlling member 40, permitting the brake pressure between the disks 36 and 38 to be relieved. The shaft 2 6 accordingly will be rotated continuously so long as the treadle is kept depressed. On release of the treadle which, as is common, is swung up into its normal inoperative position by a spring (not shown),

the clutch controlling arm 52 is moved into the path of movement of the clutch disconnecting member 34, thereby disconnecting the clutch and at the same time the toggle 5G is straightened to permit the brake controlling member ii] to apply full braking pressure as a result of the action of the roll 46 on the cam portion 46 of the brake disk 36.

The main operating mechanisms or instrumentalities of the illustrated machine are a wire feeding and inserting mechanism identified generally at '62 in Figs. 4 to 6, and a combined wire shearing, curling and fastening clenching member or knife 64. These mechanisms are contained in, or supported from, a casing which is secured to the, machine frame and comprises a plate-like bracket 66 (Figs. 2 to 6) to which is secured a side plate as (Figs. 1 to 3). The plate 58 is omitted in Figs. 4 to 6.

The wire which is processed in the machine is fiat, that is to say it has a rectangular crosssection. The wire supply is a coil of wire held on a reel (not shown) from which the wire is passed through suitable wire guiding means (not shown) to the wire feeding and inserting mechanism 62. More particularly, there is provided in the casing 66, as a wire guide comprising two members ill and 12 which extend from the top of the casing 66, 68 to and somewhat beyond the bottom thereof and which thus afford continuous guidance of the wire until it enters the work. The guiding members 19, 12 are bar-shaped and held in abutting relation in the casing 65, 68. Provided in their abutting faces are vertically extending grooves which, in the assembled relation of the two members '10, 12, come to lie opposite each other and form a guideway for the wire strand. Formed within the casing 85, 63 is a passage M of rectangular cross-section and the assembled wire guiding members iii, 12 extend through the middle of the passage M. The wire feeding and inserting mechanism 62 serves the purpose of intermittently engaging the wire strand, clamping the strand and imparting to it a downward feed motion thereby inserting the leading end portion of the wire strand into and through the work parts presented to the machine. The wire feeding and inserting mechanism 62, which may be considered a clamp or a chuck, comprises a hollow casing is of rectangular cross-section (Figs. 4 to 8) which has a sliding fit in the rectangular passage l'd provided between the bracket 66 and the plate 68. The casing M has a cylindrical upper extension '58 (Fig. 8) which is provided with an external thread. Moreover, the casing '56 has a cylindrical base 3!! (-Fig. 2). The base fits and slides in a guideway provided by recesses 82 (Figs. 4 and 6) of semi-circular cross-section milled into the opposite side Walls of the passage 34. Threaded onto the upped extension 1 3 of the casing '15 is a bell shaped nut 84 which is open at its upper end to permit the passage therethrough of the assembled wire guiding members 70, 72. The nut 8 is held in adjusted position by a lock nut 85. A shouldered portion provided on the outside of the nut 84 is engaged by a heavy compression spring 88, the upper end of which is in engagement with a horizontal plate secured to the machine frame, to which plate the bracket 66 is secured. The spring 83 seeks to depress the entire wire feeding and inserting mechanism 62.

Provided in the casing 16 are movable chuck members 92 arranged at opposite sides of the assembled wire guiding members i0, i2 and normally extending below the lower edge of the casing 16 (as illustrated in Figs. 4 to 6). The chuck members 92 are adapted to engage the wire strand by means of V-shaped projections entering V-shaped recesses in the front and back faces of the assembled wire guidin members 10, I2 (see Fig. '7). The chuck members 92 have inclined outer faces which are engaged by steel rollers 94 supported on inclined faces provided on holding members 96 which are fixedly secured to the casing I6. As illustrated in Figs. 4 to 6, the chuck members 92 have lower roller retaining projections, and the holding members 96 have upper roller retaining projections. The inclined parallel faces of each chuck member 92 and holding member 96 provide a race in which the rollers 94 are movable to a limited extent. The upper ends of the two chuck members 92 are engaged by a spring 99 which is housed Within the bellshaped nut 84 and the tension of which is adjustable by the adjustment of the nut 84 with relation to the cylindrical extension I8 of the casing I6. It will be noted that the spring 98 tends to depress the chuck members 92, thereby moving them with relation to the holding members 96 and the casing I6. In View of the inclination of the roller supporting surfaces of the chuck members 92 and holding members 96 with relation to the direction of movement of the chuck members 92, the relative downward movement of the chuck members 92 causes, due to the We in action between the members 92 and 96, a clamping or gripping engagement of the chuck members 92 with the wire. On downward movement of the entire wire feeding and inserting mechanism 62 the wire is thus fed through the machine until further feeding movement of the wire is resisted, for example, by the resistance of the Work parts to further penetration and by the clenching of the leading end of the wire strand against the metal plate d on the last bottom. In this case the spring 98 which is sufficiently weak is caused to yield and to permit a relative movement between the chuck members 92 and the holding members 96 and the casin I6. This causes the chuck members 92 to lose their grip on the wire and thus to terminate the wire feeding motion. They then slip upon the wire as the feeding mechanism 62 completes its stroke. As will be noted, therefore, the extent of feeding movement imparted to the wire strand depends upon, and is automatically regulated in accordance with the thickness of the work parts by the clenching of the leading end of the wire strand, in the present instance against the metal bottom at of the last 0.

To impart to the wire feeding and inserting mechanism 62 a downward motion, the spring 89 must be loaded. The loading of the spring 88 is effected simultaneously by the raising of th Wire feeding mechanism 62 into its elevated position after the completion of a wire feeding and inserting operation. To this end, there is provided a sleeve I00 (Figs. 2 to 6) which surrounds the wire guiding members I0, I2 and is adapted, upon elevation, to engage the lower ends of the chuck members 92. The sleeve I00 is secured to or is part of a horizontal plate I02 which in turn is secured to a vertical lifting bar I64. On upward movement of the sleeve I06 it is brought into contact with the chuck members 92 (see Fig. 6) at first to raise the chuck members with relation to the holding members 96 against the pressure of the spring 98, thus insuring that the chuck members 92 are out of gripping contact with the wire strand. Continued upward movement of the sleeve I00 further compresses the spring 98 and causes the entire wire feeding and inserting mechanism 62 to be raised against the pressure of the operating sprin 88, thereby loading the latter spring. The lifting bar I04 is guided for vertical reciprocation in a guideway I06 (Fig. 2) provided in the plate 68. At its upper end the lifting bar I04 is pivotally secured at I08 to a lever IIO which in turn is pivotally mounted at II2 on the machine frame. A spring II4 connecting the lever III] with the machine frame tends to swing the lever III! in a clockwise direction (as viewed in Fig. 2), thereby holding a roller I I6, rotatably mounted on the lever H0, against the periphery of the above-mentioned cam disk 30. When the high portion of the cam disk 30 passes beneath the roller II6, the bar I04 is in its uppermost position and, reversely, when the low portion of the cam disk 30 is beneath the roller II6, the bar I04 is in its lowermost position.

To hold the operating spring 88 loaded and to maintain the wire feeding and inserting mechanism 62 in its elevated position in readiness for a wire feeding operation, the following mechanism is provided. A latch bolt H8 (Figs. 2 and 3) is slidably mounted in a socket I20 provided in the left-hand side face of the bracket 66 and is caused in the uppermost position of the wire feeding mechanism 62 to engage the lower end of the casing I6, thus preventing th downward movement of the casing and all the parts connected thereto. The outer end of the latch bolt H8 is pivotally secured to a vertical two-armed lever I22 which is mounted to swing about a fixed pivot pin I24. A spring I26, one end of which is seated in a recess in the bracket 66 and the other end of which is seated in an opposite recess in the upper end of the lever I22, tends to rotate the lever I22 in a counterclockwise direction (as viewed in Fig. 2) so as to move the latch bolt I I8 inwardly into latching engagement with the casing 16 of the wire feeding mechanism 62. The latch bolt H8 is withdrawn in time relation to the vertical reciprocation of the lifting bar I04 to release the wire feeding mechanism to the force of the loaded operating spring 88 by a rotation of the lever I22 in a clockwise direction (as viewed in Fig. 2) against the tension of the spring I26. This clockwise rotation of the lever I22 is caused by a roller I28 pivotally mounted on the outer face of the cam disk 30 and adapted to strike against the upper end of the lever I22.

To receive, if necessary, the impact of the downward movement of the wire feeding mechanism 62 and to terminate that movement, there is provided an annular stop member I30 (Figs. 2 to 6) which rests on a washer I 32, the member I30 and washer I32 being located at the bottom of the guideway formed by the circular recesses 82 above-mentioned.

The illustrated machine is provided with a throat through which the wire is passed just before it enters the work parts. This throat comprises mainly two frame portions I34, I36 (Figs. 4 to 6) which are bolted, in abutting relation, to the undersides of the bracket 66 and plate 68. The frame portion or throat member I36 is provided with a vertical passage for the reception of the lower end portions of the assembled wire guiding members 10, I2. As illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4 to 6, the lower ends of the wire guiding members I9, I2 extend below the lower ends of the throat members I34, I36. and thus they serve, in cooperation with the gage 22, as a gage to position the work in themachine. As illustrated inFigs. ;and (i, the overlasted marginal portion of the shoe upper or is held in contact with the lower'e-xtremities of the wire guiding members Hi and 12. The throat members E3 5 and ltd are plate-like, their right-hand end faces being substantially vertical and their left-hand end faces being arranged at an angle to the vertical (see Figs. 2 and As illustrated best in Fig 16, the lower end portion of the wire guiding member 72 is slabbedoif at an angle corresponding to the inclination of the left-hand end faces of the throat members 134 and I36, the slabbed-off face it? of the guiding member '12 being in the same plane as the inclined end faces of the throat members Hit, [33. Extending through the throat member I34 is an inclined passage 5-33 (Fig. 2) in which is received a headed bolt l lil. The bolt serves to carry a knife block :I d2 mounted for rotationabout the boltand lying against the inclined left-hand end faces of the throat members it! and M5. To .hold the block M2 in place there is provided a holding late its (Figs. 9 and 10) which is held in a groove provided in a lateral extension of a front plate Mt bolted to the front face of the throat member i3 3. A nut hi8 threaded onto the lefthand extremity of the bolt Hi9 (as seen in Fig. 2) serves to hold the plate Hi l and thus the block i 42 .in place, the plate 5 4 having some play with the block it? to permit the rotary motion of the latter. The block E2 carries the shearing, curling and clenching member or knife 64 above-mentioned. The knife Ed is in the form of a bar which is adjustably secured in a guideway provided in the block N52. The block 142 is caused to rotate from the position shown in Fig. l to that in Fig. 5 and in doing this, the heightwise extending cutting edge of the knife 64 (see Figs. 12, 13 and 14) is moved substantially heightwise along the slabbedo'if face i3]! of the wire guiding member 12 to sever the wire strand at .an acute angle by a shearing action which simultaneously and progressively forms a curl upon the sheared .end, the point .of which is downwardly directed toward the work piece, whereupon the severedand downwardly directed trailing end of the inserted piece of wire is clenched overinto the work by the continued rotation .of the knife 55. It will be appreciated that the wire strand is sheared a certain distance above the work surface, thus providin a down- Wardly curled protruding trailing end portion of the inserted fastening which, as just mentioned, is then clenched over into the work. The knife, in exercising its shearing stroke, is moved in a plane disposed at an acute angle to the vertical and intersecting the path of movement of the wire strand at an acute angle, thus forming a fine bevel on the trailing end of the fastening as well as on the leadin end of the wire strand after the severance .of the fastening therefrom. Also, as may be seen from a comparison of Figs. 10 and 12, the shearing stroke of the knife 64 progresses substantially in the direction of wire feed thus progressively deflecting the just severed portion of the protruding end downward beneath the knife edge to form a curled point directed toward the work piece. It will be seen from the foregoing that the curling of the trailing end of the fastening occurs as a result of and during the severing operation, the curling being produced in an identical manner to that which appears beneath the upper blade of a pair of metalworkers shears when used to trim a thin sliver off the edge of sheet metal,

' To rotate the knife block 142 from the position shown in Fig. 4 to the position ShOWIlllIl. Fig. v5 and thereby to sever the fastenin from the wire strand, curl and clench its trailing end portion into the work after the wire strand has been fed through the marginal portion of the upper a and through the insole b and cl nched back into the work by the metal plate 03 of the last, the following mechanism is provided. The knife block M2 has a lateral tooth-like projection let (Figs. l to 6) which engages a notch 152 provided in the lateral extension its of a vertically reciprocable plunger or slide MB. The upper portion of the slide E56 is held in a guideway 553 provided in the bracket 55. The upper end of the slide iEB is engaged by a heavy compression spring E533, the upper end of which rests against the abovementionedplate 90. The compression spring I68, when loaded, tends to depress the slide I55 and thereby to rotate the knife block from the position shown in Fig. etc that in Fig. 5. To elevate the slide Hit, thereby rotating the knife block Hi2 and the knife 5 back into their elevated inoperative positions and also thereby leading the spring 560, the plate 1 32 is, on its upward travel, in contact with a front projection i6 3 (Figs. 4 to 6) provided on the slide {58, thereby elevating the slide as the wire feeding and inserting mechanism 52 is elevated.

To maintain the slide 556 in its elevated position and thereby to maintain the spring E69 loaded in readiness for the operation of the slide 556, the front face of the upper portion of the slide i56 is provided with a notch Hi l (Fig. 5) in which, in the elevated inoperative position of the slide, a latch or pawl E66 is engaged. The pawl I 66 is rotatably mounted on a stub shaft H38 and also carried on the shaft Hill is a downwardly extending arm ltd which is in engagement with a plunger H2 horizontally movable in a socket il provided in the bracket 63. The plunger W2 is biased by a spring "56 which tends to rotateboth the arm 1 l9 and the pawl 565 in a clockwise direction (as viewed in Fig. 5) so that when on elevation of the slide i 56 thenotch i6 3 arrives opposite the pawl 166, the latter will immediately snap into the notch l 64.

For the purpose of moving the pawl 166 out of the notch lfi l, thereby releasing the slide 56 to the force of the loaded spring let, the left-hand extremity of the pawl I (as viewed in Fig. 4) is engaged, on downward movement of the wire feeding and inserting mechanism 62, by the lower end of the casing it whereby the pawl H36 and the arm W9 are rotated in a counterclockwise direction (Fig. 4) and the plunger H2 is pushed inwardly in the socket ll? against the spring H6. It will be appreciated that the release of the knife operating slide i555 is in time relation to the downward movement of the wire feeding and inserting mechanism 62 and that in particular the slide l56 is not released to the force of its spring IBD to operate the knife until the wire feeding and inserting mechanism has moved downwardly to an extent sufiicient to cause the leading end portion of the wire to be inserted through the work parts and clenched back into the work.

To prevent, on elevation of the wire feeding and inserting mechanism 52, the wire from being accidentally moved upwardly along the wire guiding members Til, '52, a wire stop, illustrated best in .Fig. 4, has been provided. Pivotally secured .to a lug M8 on the plate til is a stop lever [8.0 which cooperates with a wide guiding piece I82 .in such a fashion that downward movement of the wire is not impeded but any attempted upward movement of the wire will be resisted by the lever I60 cramping the wire against the wire guiding piece I82. A spring I84, the lower end of which is seated in a socket in the lug I18 and the upper end of which is seated in a similar socket in the left-hand arm of the stop lever I80,

tends to rotate the stop lever in a clockwise direction (as viewed in Fig. 4) to cramp the wire.

The operation of the machine will now be described. In the inoperative position of the machine parts, illustrated best in Figs. 2 and 4 of the drawings, in which the wire feeding mechanism 62 is up and is locked by the latch bolt H8 and in which the knife operating slide I56 is up and locked by the pawl I66 with both operating springs 08 and I60 being held in their loaded positions and with the wire strand extending to the lower extremity of the wire guiding members I0,

I2, the work is presented to the machine in the position illustrated in section in Fig. 6. The clutch is tripped by the depression of the treadle and lowering of the treadle rod 48 as a result of which the drive shaft 26 and cam 30 are rotated. It should be mentioned also that in the inoperative position of the machine parts (as shown in Fig. 4) the lifting bar I04 is located in its lowermost position so that the sleeve I cannot impede the ensuing downward movement of the wire feeding and inserting mechanism 62 and so that the plate I02 cannot prevent the downward movement of the knife operatin slide I56. On rotation of the cam 30 the roll I28 carried by the cam is caused to strike against the upper end of the lever I22 to release the wire feeding mechanism 62 to the force of its loaded spring 88, thus initiating the downward movement of the wire feeding mechanism. It is understood that in the inoperative position of the wire feeding mechanism the spring 98 acting on the chuck members 92 causes the latter to grip the wire strand firmly between them and, accordingly, on downward movement of the entire wire feeding mechanism 62 a downward motion is imparted to the wire strand. The leading end portion of the wire strand is inserted through the overlasted margin of the shoe upper a and through the insole b and clenched against the metal bottom at of the last 0 thereby causing the leading end of the wire strand to curl back into the work. As soon as this has occurred, the work parts and the metal bottom d of the last 0 resist continued movement of the wire strand and this resistance is strong enough to overcome the pressure of the spring 98, causing the chuck members 92 to slip on the wire and with relaticn to the holding members 96 and the casing I6 of the wire feeding mechanism. The continued downward movement of the wire feeding mechanism, therefore, is an idle motion in that the wire no longer is fed. Accordingly, only so much of the leading end portion of the wire strand is inserted into the work as is required for the forming of a fastening therefrom having a length proportionate to the combined thickness of the work parts to be united. Thus the length of the wire strand inserted into the work varies automatically in accordance with variations of the work thickness, the wire feeding mechanism slipping on the wire as soon as a sufficient extent of wire has been inserted into the work parts, as described.

, As a result of the downward movement, of, the casing 16 of the wire feeding mechanism 62, the pawl I66 is moved out of engagement with the slide I56 so that the latter may be rapidly lowered by the loaded spring I60 to rotate theknife block I42 and the knife 64 first to sever the leading end portion of the wire strand (Figs. 12 and 13) a certain distance above the Work While progressively forming a curled point directed toward the work to form a fastening, the trailing end portion of which extends a certain distance above the work surface when severance is completed. This extending trailing end portion of the fastening is then clenched over into the work (Fig. 14) as a result of and by the continued rotation of the knife 64 the bottom edge of which overrides the severed end portion to depress it into the work. The fastening having been inserted and clenched in the work (see Fig. 11) the high portion of the cam 30 is arriving beneath the roller II6 of the lever IIO, thus elevating the lifting bar I04. As a result of the elevation of the bar I04 the sleeve I00 is brought into contact with the chuck members 92 to insure their further and continued release from the wire strand and to raise the entire wire feeding mechanism 6 2 into its uppermost inoperative position in which the latch bolt again is automatically moved beneath the casing I6 to hold the wire feeding mechanism in its elevated position. Also with the elevation of the bar I04 the plate I02 with which the projection I62 of the knife operating slide I56 is then in engagement, raises that slide into its elevated inoperative position and loads the spring I60, the slide I56 being held in its elevated position, with the spring I60 loaded, by the pawl I66 which again, under the pressure of the spring II6, has been caused to snap back into the notch I 64. The lifting bar I04 and the parts attached to it are then again moved to their lowermost positions. A11 machine parts having been returned to their inoperative positions, the machine is ready for the next cycle of operations.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a fastening inserting machine, a clamp intermittently operative to engage a strand to advance the strand through the machine and to insert its leading end portion into a work. piece presented to the machine, means for operatively moving the clamp toward the work piece, clamp release mechanism carried by the clamp so as to be concomitantly movable therewith, said mechanism during the entire movement of the clamp being responsive solely to a predetermined degree of resistance of the strand to further movement into the work piece, and cutting means for severing the inserted leading end portion of the strand.

2. In a fastening inserting machine, a vertically reciprocating clamp intermittently operative. to engage a strand to advance the strand through the machine and to insert its leading end portion into a work piece presented to the machine, means for operatively moving the clamp toward the work piece, means active in response to resistance of the strand to further movement into the work piece to cause disengagement of the clamp from the strand, cutting means for severing the inserted leading end portion of the strand at a distance from the work surface, and means integrally associated with said cutting mean for clenching the trailing end of that portion over the work.

3. In a fastening inserting machine, a guide arranged continuously to guide a strand to a work piece presented to the machine, one end of said guide extending to a position adjacent the Work piece to support the strand within the guide against lateral movement, a clamp cooperating accusesill with the guide and operative adj'acently parallel an intermediate portion thereof to engage the strand to advance it through the guide and insert it. into-the workpiece, means for operating the clamp, means active in response to resistance of the strand to further movement into the work piece to cause disengagement of the cla'mpfrom the strand, and cutting means operatively associated with the end of the guide for severing the inserted leading end portion ofthe strand.

4:. In: a fastening inserting machine, a guide arranged continuously to guide a strand to-a work piece presented to the machine, said guide having an end. portion extending to a position adjacent the" surface of the work piece to support the strand within the guide against lateral movement, a clamp cooperating with the guide and arranged to engage the strand to advance it through the guide and insert it into the work piece, means for operating the clamp, means active inresponse to resistance of the strand to further movement into the work piece to cause disengagement of the clamp from th strand, cutting means operatively associated with the end of the guide forsevering the inserted leading end portion of the strand at a distance from the work surface, and means integrally associated withsaid cutting means for clenching the trailing end of that portion over the work. 1

5. In a fastening-inserting machine, a feeding clamp operated in sequence to engage a strand, advance the strand through the machine and insert itsleading endportion into a work piece presented to the machine, means for activating the clamp, a combined shearing, curling and clenching member movably mounted adjacent the Work surface, means contiguously associated with said member both-for'maintaining the unsheared strand in the path of movement of the member and for supporting the unsheared strand against lateral displacement, said member having a beveled knife'blade with its cutting edge inclined toward the strand in the direction of movement of the knife, and'means for imparting a shearing stroke to the member in a direction substantially transverselto the strand and in a plane intersecting the strand at an acute angle to the axis of the: strand whereby simultaneously said edge seversthestrand at an acute angle to form a-fine pointedlbevel on the trailing end of the fastening while the beveled portion of the blade progressively" engages the just severed portions of the trailing end to curl it toward the work surface and then to clench thecurled trailing end portion reentrantly into the work piece.

6., In a fastening-inserting machine, a feeding clamp operated in sequence to engage a strand, advance the. strand through the machine and insert its leading end portion into a work piece presented to the machine, means for activating the clamp, means active in response to resist-- *ance of the strand to further movement into the workpiece to cause disengagement of the clamp from the strand, a combined shearing, curling and clenching member movably mounted adjacent the work surface, means contiguously associated with said member both for maintainingthe unsheared strand in the path of movethe direction. of movement of the knife, and

means for imparting a shearing stroke to the member in a directionv substantially transverse 12 to the strand and in a plane intersecting the strand at an acute angle tothe axis of the strand whereby simultaneously said edge severs the strand at an acute angle to form a fine pointed bevel on the trailing end of the fastening while the beveled portion of the bladeprogressively engages the just severed portions of the trailing end to curl it toward the work surface and then to clench the curled trailing end portion re-entrantly into the work piece.

7. A fastening-inserting machine having, in combination, a wire feeding clamp operated intermittently to engage a wire strand, advance the strand through the machine and insert its leading end portion intoa work piece presented to the machine, means for moving the clamp toward the work piece, means adapted to yield in response to resistance of the strand to further' movement into the work piece to cause disengagement of the clamp from the strand; a combined shearing, curling and clenching member movably' mounted adjacent the Work surface, means contiguously associated with said member both for maintaining the unsheared strand in the path of movement of the member and for supporting it against lateral displacement, said member having a beveled knife blade with its cutting edge inclined toward the strand inthe direction of movement of the knife,

' and means for imparting a shearing stroke to the member in a direction substantially transverse to the strand and in a plane intersecting the strand at an acute angle to the axis of. the strand whereby simultaneously said edge severe the strand at an acute angle to form a fine pointed bevel on the trailing end of the fastening while. the beveled. portion of the blade progressively engages the. just severed portions of the trailing end to curl it. toward the work surface and then to clench the. curled trailing end portion re-entrantly intothe work piece.

8. A fastening-inserting machine having,v in combination, a feeding clamp operated intermittently to engage a/strand, advance the strand hrough the machine andv insert its leading end portion into a work piece presented to the machine, means for moving the clamp toward the work piece, a. spring tending to cause feeding engagement of the clamp with the strand and adapted to yield in response to resistance of the strand to further. movement into the work piece thus causing slippage of the clamp with relation. to the strand, and means for severing the, inserted portionv from the strand adjacent the work surface.

9. A. fastening-insertingv machine having, in combination, a feeding clamp operated intermittently to engage a strand, advance the strand through the machine and insert its leading end portion into a work piece presented to the machine, means for moving the clamp toward, the workpiece, a spring tending. to cause feeding engagement of the clamp with the strand and adapted to yield inresponse to' resistance of the strand to further'movem'ent into the work piece thus causing slippage of the clamp with relation to the strand, andmeans for severing the inserted portion from the strand at a distance from the work surface.

10. A fastening-inserting machine having, in combination, a feeding clamp opera-ted intermittently to-engag'e a strand, advance the strand throughthe machine and insert its leading end portion intoa work piece presented to the ma- 13 chine, means for activating the clamp, a spring tending to cause feeding engagement of the clamp with the strand and adapted to yield in response to resistance of the strand to further movement into the work piece thus causing slippage of the clamp with relation to the strand, a combined shearing, curling and clenching member movably mounted adjacent the work surface, means contiguously associated with said member both for maintaining the unsheared strand in the path of movement of the member and for supporting the unsheared strand against lateral displacement, said member having a beveled knife blade with its cutting edge inclined toward the strand in the direction of movement of the knife, and means for imparting a shearing stroke to the member in a direction substantially transverse to the strand and in a plane intersecting the strand at an acute angle to the axis of the strand whereby simultaneously said edge severs the strand at an acute angle to form a fine pointed bevel on the trailing and of the fastening while the beveled portion of the blade progressively engages the just severed portions of the trailing end to curl it toward the work surface and then to clench the curled trailing end portion re-entrantly into the work piece.

11. A fastening-inserting machine having, in combination, a vertically reciprocating feeding clamp operated intermittently to engage a strand, advance the strand through the machine and insert an end portion of the strand into a work piece presented to the machine, actuating means for moving the clamp, means normally maintaining the clamp in feeding engagement during said movement, said latter means being yieldable in response to resistance of the strand to further movement into the work piece to cause disengagement of the clamp from the strand, and means for severing the inserted portion from the strand adjacent the Work surface.

12. In a fastening-inserting machine, a clamp operative to engage a strand to advance the strand through the machine and to insert an end portion of the strand into a work piece presented to the machine, means active in response to resistance of the strand to further movement into the work piece to cause disengagement of the clamp from the strand, means for severing the inserted portion from the strand adjacent the work surface, spring loaded means for operating the clamp, and means active as a result of the operation of the spring loaded means for actuating the severing means.

' 13. In a fastening-inserting machine, a movable clamp operative to engage a strand to advance the strand through the machine and to insert it into a work piece presented to the machine, a spring acting on the clamp and causing its binding engagement with the strand, the spring being adapted to yield in response to resistance of the strand to further movement into the work piece to cause disengagement of the clamp from the strand, a spring for moving the clamp to advance the strand, means, including a shearing blade, for severing the inserted leading end portion from the strand, a spring for operating the shearing blade, means for loading the clamp moving spring and the shearing blade operating spring, a latch for holding the clamp moving spring loaded, a latch for holding tre shearing blade operating spring loaded, and means for releasing the latches to cause opera- 14 tion first of the clamp and then of the shearing blade.

14. In a fastening-inserting machine, a vertically reciprocatin clamp operative to engage a strand to advance the strand through the machine and to insert it into a work piece presented to the machine, a spring acting on the clamp and causingits binding engagement with the strand on a downward stroke of the clamp, the spring being adapted to yield in response to resistance of the strand to further movement into the work piece to cause disengagement of the clamp from the strand, a spring for moving the clamp downward to .advance the strand, means, including a shearing blade, for severing the inserted leading end portion from the strand, a spring for operating the shearing blade in time relation to the downward movement of the clamp, a lifter for raising the clamp and thereby loading the clamp moving spring and for loading the shearing blade operating spring, a latch for holding the clamp in its raised position thereby holding the clamp moving spring loaded, a latch for holding the shearing blade operating spring loaded, a power operated cam member for releasing the first mentioned latch, and means operated by the descendin clamp for releasing the second mentioned latch thereby causing operation. of the shearing blade following the operation of the clamp.

15. In a fastening-inserting machine, a Wire guide arranged continuously to guide a wire strand to a Work piece presented to the machine, a wire feeding member cooperating with the wire guide and operative to engage the wire strand t0 advancethe strand through the guide and, insert it into the work piece, a combined shearing, curling and clenching member contiguously associated with the end of said guide adjacent the work piece, said member having a beveled knife blade with its cutting edge inclined toward the strand in the direction of movement of the knife, and means for imparting a shearing stroke to the member in a direction substantially transverse to the strand and in a plane intersectingthe strand at an acute angle to the axis of the strand, whereby simultaneously said edge severs the strand at an acute angle to form a fine-pointed bevel on the trailing end of the fastening while the beveled portion of the blade progressively engages the just severed portions of the trailing end to curl it toward the work surface and then to clench the curled trailing end portion reentrantly into the work piece.

16. In a fastening-inserting machine, a wire guide arranged continuously to guide a wire strand through the machine and into a work piece presented to the machine, a clamp cooperating with the wire guide and operative to engage the strand to advance the strand through the guide and insert it into the work piece, means for moving the clamp toward the work piece, means active in response to resistance of the strand to further movement into the work piece to cause disengagement of the clamp from the strand, and means contiguously associated with the end of said guide adjacent the work surface for severing the inserted portion from the strand.

1'7. In a fastening-inserting machine, a wire guide arranged continuously to guide a wire strand to a work piece presented to the machine, a clamp cooperating with the wire guide and operative to engage the strand to advance the strand through the guide and insert it into the: work piece, means active in response to resistance of the strand tofurther movement into the work piece to cause disengagement of the clamp from thewire, means for severing the inserted portion from the strand adjacent the'work surface, spring loaded means for operating the clamp, and means active as a result of the operation of the spring loaded means for actuating the strand severing means.

18. In a fastening-inserting machine, avertically reciprocating feeding clamp operatedintermittently to engage. the strand, advance thestrand through the machine and insert an end portion of the strand intoa workpiece presentedto the machineactuating means for moving the clamp, means normally maintaining the clamp in feeding engagement during said movement, said latter means being yieldable and adjustable to respond to selected degrees of resistance of the strand to further movement into the work piece to cause disengagement of the clamp from the strand, and means for severing the inserted portion from the strand adjacent the work. surface.

19. In a fastening-inserting machine, a movable clamp operative to engage a. strand to advance the strand through the machine and to insert it into a. work piece presented to the ma.- chine, a spring acting on. the clamp and causing its binding engagement with the. strand, the spring being adapted to yield in response to re.- sistance of the strand to further movement into the work piece to cause disengagement of the clamp from. the strand, a spring for: moving the clamp to advance the strand,v means for loading the clamp moving spring, a, latch for holding the clamp moving spring loaded, and means for releasing the latch to cause operation of the,

clamp,

20. In a fastening-inserting machine, a movable. clamp operative to engage a. strand to advance the strand through the machine and to insert it into a work piece presented to. the ma.- chine, a spring acting on the clamp and causing its binding engagement with the strand, the spring: being adapted to yield. in response. tov resistance of the strand to further movement into the work piece to cause disengagement of the clamp from the: strand, means for adjusting the spring to regulate its response to a. selected degree' of resistance, a spring for moving the clamp to advance: the strand, means for; loading the clamp movingv spring, a latch for holding the clamp. moving spring loaded, and means for releasing the latch to cause operation of the clamp.

21. In a fastening-inserting machine, a strand guide arranged continuously to guide a. strand to a work piece presented, to the machine at the end of the guide, a strand feeding member cooperating with the strand guide for advancing a strand through the guide, means for intermittently operating said feeding member to insert the leading end portion of the: strand. into the Work piece, a combined shearing, curling and clenching member movably cooperating with the end of said guide, said last-mentioned member being provided with a sharp cutting edge, in,- clined. to the axis of the strand and operable to sever the strand on a plane intersecting the strand at-an acute angle to the axis of thestrand, and means for operating said last-mentioned member to sever said leading endportion and 16 simultaneously progressively. curl the. severed part toward the work pieceand clench the;curle d. end into the work piece.

22;. In: a fastening-inserting machine, a. strand guide. arranged continuously to. guide a strand to. a. work piece presented to: the machine. a strand; feeding: member, cooperating; with the strand guide and arranged to engage the strand to. advance it through the guide, means for; in-

termittently operating said feeding, member to insertthe' leading end: portion of the strand. into the workpiece, acom'bined shearing, curling and clenching; member movably cooperating Withthe end of; said: guide; said last-mentioned member being: provided: with a. sharp cutting edge inclined to theaxis, of the: strand and operable to sever the strand on a plane intersecting the. strand. at an; acute angle to the axis of the strand, and means; for moving said last-mentioned member at an; acute angle to the direction of. movement of the strand in the guide tosever said leading end; portion and simultaneously progressively curl the severed part toward the workpiece and clench the. curled. end of said portion into the work piece.

23. In.afastening-inserting machine, a strand guide arranged continuously to guide: a strand to a work piece presented to the machine at the end of. said guide, a strand feeding member cooperating with the guide and arranged to engage the strand to advance it. through the guide, means for intermittently operating said feeding member to insert the leading end portion of the strand into the work piece, means responsive to resistance of the strand to further movement into the work piece to cause disengagementv of said feeding member from the strand, a combined shearing, curling and clenching member arranged to. cooperate with, the end of said guide, and means for operating said shearing member to sever said leading end portion and simultaneously progressively curl the severed part to.- Ward the work piece and clench the curled end into the work piece.

24. In a fastening-inserting machine, a guide for guiding a. strand to a work piece presented to the machine, a clamp arranged to engage the strand to advance it through the guide, means for intermittently operating said clamp to insert the leading end portion of the strand into the work piece presented to. the machine,

means interposed between said operating means and said clamp responsive to, resistance of the strandto further movement into the Work piece to cause disengagement of said, clamp from the strand, and cutting means for severing the inserted end portion of the strand.

CUTLER D. KNOWLTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

